Review: Rain by Amanda Sun

Title: Rain (Paper Gods #2)

Author: Amanda Sun
Published: 24 June 2014 by HarlequinTEEN Australia
Source: HarlequinTEEN Australia
Reviewed: Sapphired Dragon
Rating: ****

My Review:

On reflection I think I may have liked Rain more than I liked Ink, and I adored Ink.  Ink made me want to go visit Japan and learn Japanese but Rain had a different feel to it and I think this had to do with the writing reflecting the main character Katie Greene.

In Ink, Katie is a foreigner and a tourist anxiously waiting for the call from her grandparents to head back home to Canada. In Rain, having made her decision to stay, Katie while still technically a foreigner, and still making the the odd cultural mistake, feels more like a native fighting for her place there and so this is reflected in the writing and the feel.

Because, like Katie, we were now familiar with the Japan of the book and the main characters there in, we got to the heart of the story a lot quicker and were held in there to the end. Both the Kami story line and the romance between Katie and Tomo weaved together seamlessly and I found myself barely looking up from this tale until the end, which nearly caused my daughter and I to miss our stop of the train the other night.

I liked Katie and found her to be a sympathetic character so cared what happened to her. I liked her heart and her spirit though i do feel, she made some poor decisions throughout the book. I found it harder to get into Tomo's head. I wanted to but sometimes found it a little harder relate to his character.

Overall this is a quick and entertaining read. While sometimes I could see where certain story lines were leading, it didn't nonetheless spoil the the over all enjoyment I had in this instalment and I will anxiously be awaiting book 3!

I give this novel 4 stars.

Sapphired Dragon xx

About The Book:

American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.

When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend

Review & Giveaway: Ink by Amanda Sun

Title: Ink (Paper Gods #1)
Author: Amanda Sun
Published: 1 July 2013 by HarlequinTEEN Australia
Source: HarlequinTEEN Australia
Reviewed: Sapphireddragon
SapphiredDragon Rating: ****

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun

Goodreads | Book Depository

I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Review: 

I have been dying to read this book since I first saw it an Harlequin Summit in February this year.  The cover looked absolutely gorgeous and the story looked incredibly intriguing.  

I am happy to say that this book did not disappoint!  It wasn't quite what I expected but this ended up being a good thing.  This was not a neat tidy easy to tie up the ends story where you could see the ending coming a mile off.  This was a deceptively simple story that flowed well hiding the extra strands that were being woven around it till suddenly you were in the middle of a complex tapestry with no idea which thread too pull and completely in Ms Sun's hands.

The idea of the Kami and it's links with the ink and drawing and pictures that moved was truly intriguing.  I enjoyed reading about it and can't wait to find out more about it in the next book,

As mentioned the story flowed well, the characters were reasonably distinct and Katie painted (at least as first) as the outsider.  I liked Katie, she was resilient and determined, but still open to a different culture even though she didn't want to be there after the death of her mother. As the book progresses you can slowly see her becoming immersed in the culture around her and realising where she fits.

I liked that the feelings between Katie and Tomo grew slowly.  They were  fascinated with each other to their chagrin at first but the real feelings grew slowly which I liked.  I felt like there was chemistry between them and this grows as the story goes on.

The other thing I really liked is the snapshot of Japanese culture that Ms Sun shows us.  Her writing painted a picture of Sunpu Park and the cherry blossoms and just illustrated so many other aspects that just  added to the authenticity of the story.

The only thing that brought it down is the fact that I have to wait till the next book to find out what happens next.  I was glad of the sneak peak of the first chapter of the next novel in the series, at the end of the book, as I am seriously going to have trouble waiting for the the next one to come out .

At least I have the novella, Shadow, to look forward to reading in the mean time.

I give this novel 4 stars

Sapphired Dragon xx

Giveaway

I pre-ordered a copy of this book earlier in the year then also was lucky enough to receive a copy from the publisher and now I have two copies. So I have decided to give one copy away.

Giveaway is International & all rules are in the Terms and conditions.  Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday #61

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too muchaway! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

4. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


My current read is Ink by Amanda Sun and my two lines are from page 188:

I saw it. So simple, and so terrifying.

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun

Goodreads | Book Depository

I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link  to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

WWW Wednesday #16

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you will read next?

What are you currently reading?

Glitter & Doom ( Masque of the Red Death #1.5) by Bethany Griffin

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble

Participating in the Novella Reading Week hosted by Fiktshun & Magical Urban Fantasy Reads so this is the second novella I am reading and reviewing.  Also good timing as I plan to read Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the red Death #2) next week once Novella week is over :-)

What did you recently finish reading?

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda SunGoodreads | Book Depository

Loved this.  Review to be posted 1st July 2013.

Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington

Goodreads | Galaxy Bookshop

Best book I have read in 2013.  See my review here

Clean Slate Complex (A daynight story) by Megan Thomason

Goodreads | Amazon

Novella read number 1.  See my review here

What do you think you will read next??

More Novellas :-)

Shadow (Paper Gods #0.5) by Amanda Sun

Goodreads | HarlequinTeen

Meet two teens whose worlds are about to change forever in this paranormal Young Adult novella, a prequel to Ink by debut author Amanda Sun…

Katie Greene’s worst nightmare comes true when her mother dies, and she’s devastated to learn that she will have to leave the only home she’s ever known. Desperate to find where she belongs, she must decide if she has what it takes to start a new life across the ocean.

For Yuu Tomohiro, every day is a nightmare. He struggles to control his strange ability, and keeps everyone at a distance so they won’t get hurt—even his girlfriend, Myu. At night, a shadow haunts his dreams, and a mysterious woman torments him with omens of death and destruction. But these haunting premonitions are only the beginning…

The First (The Returned #0.5) by Jason Mott

Goodreads | Harlequin

In Jason Mott's haunting and unforgettable debut novel, The Returned, an impossible miracle is occurring all across the globe. Read how it all begins in this short story, The First.

It's been just over a year since Edmund Blithe died, and just over a month since his fiancée, Emily, stopped wearing her engagement ring. Emily has finally begun to move on… Until Edmund mysteriously and inexplicably returns, sending the world—and Emily—into a tailspin.

Edmund is only just the beginning. Around the world, people's loved ones are returning from beyond, seeking only to reenter the lives they left behind. As the world dives deep into uncertainty, Emily and Edmund are determined to find their way back to one another…even if it means risking everything.

So what are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday #15

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you will read next?

What are you currently reading?

Enjoying both of these at the moment.  Born of Illusion for review on kindle/iPad and a print copy of the Girl in the Clockwork Collar so I can read and review The Girl with the Iron Touch.

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Goodreads | Book Depository

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

Goodreads | Book Depository

What did you recently finish reading?

The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Goodreads | Book Depository

Loved this! Review is on its way 

What do you think you will read next??Can't wait to dig into either of these!

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun

Goodreads | Book Depository

I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Comment: Been dying to read this one since Harlequin Summit in February. Not going to put it off any longer!

Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington

Goodreads | Galaxy Bookshop

Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.

Until now, that is...

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking?

Comment: So excited when I found this at the library.  Can't wait to dig in.  Pretty sure I will be sneaking it in over the next couple of days SHHHH :-)

So what are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox #59

Welcome to  In My Mailbox, a meme run by The Story Siren where each week over 200 bloggers post on their blogs the books they have bought, received to review or won in the past week.

To find out more information, get involved yourself or see what's in other bloggers mailboxes this week head over to The Story Siren or to find out what is in my mailbox this week, keep reading.

Don't forget to comment and post your IMM link or just let me know what's in your mail box this week.

Small but awesome week this week.  Especially being approved for Ink.  So very excited about this title.  I am going to be have to be very good to read the titles I need to before it.  I just want to dive right in! :-)

For Review(via Netgalley): 

So excited to get this title.  I first saw it at Harlequin Summit in February and it looks just awesome. So the minute I saw it on Netgalley I requested it :-)

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun

Goodreads | Book Depository

I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Prophecy Girl (Angel Academy #1) by Cecily White

Goodreads | Book Depository

Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.
Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.
Then he shows up.
Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?
Wrong.
Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

Library: 

What's left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles #1) by Kat Zhang

Goodreads | Book Depository

I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

So what was in your mailbox this week?

On My Wishlist #11

Welcome to On My Wishlist!


On My Wishlist is a meme that was originally created by Book Chick City and is now hosted by Cosy Books where we can showcase (and squee about) books that are on our individual wish lists whether already released or still awaiting publication.


For more information or to get involved yourself, head over to Cosy Books and check it out!


Lastly, don't forget to comment and let me know what books are on your Wishlist this week.

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun
I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Publication Date: 25 June 2013

Pre-Order:Book Depository

Comment: I saw this book recently briefly mentioned at Harlequin Summit last month and I immediately wanted it. Not only is the cover absolutely gorgeous but the story sounds absolutely awesome. I love books set in Japan, Japanese Gods and moving drawings. Can't wait for this to come out in June.
What has gone on your Wishlist this week?